Where do Independents fall in when it comes to the House and Senate? Who gets to count them as a win?

Question

Bernie Sanders and Joe Lieberman were both elected and were both not Democrats, yet on cnn.com I saw it said no Independents were in the Senate.

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I'm still confused

Right now, its equal, 49 to 49, how did they decide to group the Independents as Democrats? Did they choose, or was it chosen for them?

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Answer 1

Although neither was elected as a Democratic candidate for thier office, both have announced their intentions of caucusing with (i.e., conferencing with, supporting the legislation of, and generally voting with) the Democratic Party. This is natural, given that they are both ideologically nearer the Democrats than the Republicans, and given that it permits them to create a majority that is nearer their own preferences. Lieberman is, after all, a member of the Democratic Party, although he did not receive the Party's nomination or support in the recent election. Sanders describes himself as a democratic socialist, which is unquestionably nearer the Democratic position than the Republican (as his voting record in the House indicates).

As for the shallow and uninformed notion expressed by some, that independents in such a situation are virtually powerless, it can be mathematically demonstrated as a fact that these two are the most powerful individual members of the Senate. (This can be demonstrated with the mathematics of game theory.) After all, whichever side they support in a showdown between the two parties will win; conversely, neither party has enough votes to win anything without them (assuming in both cases that neither Democrats nor Republicans vote for the other party's position). Their power is enormously disproportionate to that of the individual, "dime-a-dozen" members of the two major parties precisely because they are independent. To argue that their independence renders them worthless is simply wrong -- in fact, the very opposite of the fact.

Answer 2

As it stands, and has stood for a very long time, there are two dominate parties in the political arena.... Dem and Rep... and the rules of congress have been forged around those alliances. Until the independent parties grow into a significant faction, they will have little control over the way business is conducted. This does not mean they don't have a vote, all members of congress have a vote. It does mean if their bills will be heard in any timely fashion. They have no pull when it comes to the order of concerns. so... there it stands.

Answer 3

this is not the Republican occasion we would desire to be prepared approximately. the actual question is will the people who're elected truthfully do their jobs to guard the form? and could they actually artwork in the direction of smaller government. Republicans do not precisely have a solid music checklist recently on those themes. i don't for a minute have faith that the corporate has had a transformation of coronary heart in the previous 8 months. they are only pandering to the temper of the people. This election won't straighten them out except we proceed to hold their feet to the fire for an particularly very long term.

Answer 4

We pick a party the first day of voting, and they get the credit. I'm a Independent, and I picked the Democrats as the party most like me.

Answer 5

That is because Independent's are not represented in the House and Senate, only Republican and Democrat. I heard many Independents were allowed to vote this election, which is odd. Typically Independent's do not vote in the House and Senate election...only the Presidential. Honestly, I do not see how the Independent vote can be counted, because they have literally no party affiliation.

Answer 6

independents are usually grouped with democrats
consequently democrats have the advantage in the senate
there are 49 republicans, 49 democrats (va-webb), and 2 independents
49 republicans vs. 51 democrats

Answer 7

BOTH WAYS..

JOE TENDS TO LEND DEMO BUT WILL VOTE GOP.....